It has been impetuous week. Played several, (or a bit more than several) games of basic Impetus, pitting against each other Carthage and Rome. Since Romans tend not to be victorious in my hands as solid four legion block, I thought to use alternative list that includes a bit more mobility to the army.

So, this time I introduced javelin armed Numidian CL and Roman force looked like following:

Carthage also adopted few alternative options and army featured following, including Hannibal veterans, and boosted CL that made them as good as my CM, except they also had ranged weapons. Real killers those:

Terrain features had one gentle hill on the left and a bit of rough ground in the arc formed by road on the bottom right edge. So, I thought to deploy light cavalry and skirmishers to the edge there, and other skirmishers to the left flank to take on the Gauls. Legions in the middle and heavier cavalry to the either side. And yes, I can see already where this is going wrong…

Initial dispositions of Carthage and Rome.

Setup done, Carthage deployed his forces in a bit of depth, apparently planning to use the Gauls to soften up the legions before his FP’s show up to finish the job. His right flank is secured by the hill so there seems no worries from that direction. Javelin armed CL stands on the right, apparently intending to disturb the legions.

Little light horse skirmishing on the right.

Very quickly little action developed at the right with Light cavalry departing from their Javelins. Rome took worse of the encounter since one legion took hit and disorder. Roman CL paid back in kind and inflicted some losses to the enemy CL. Then, something interesting happened. Roman legion attempted to charge Carthaginian CL, but fell short and was beaten to destruction from fire of CL and S, neatly before contact.

Not to be demoralized by that little loss, I was confident that I can beat CL with CM, and certainly beat the Gauls with Both legions and CM.

Gauls charge home. Apparently Roman forces are commanded by Varro.

What is said about overconfidence again? I did charge the Gauls with cavalry, but both were locked in hand to hand fight and Gauls did charge my Legion and albeit I had first strike with pilum, it failed. Round of melee ensued where Romans failed to cause any hits repeatedly, and Gauls repeatedly beat the legion back. Did not take too long and tree was not much left to fight against. Not a single hit on the Gauls. None.

Cavalry followed suite and was shortly beaten as well. And same happened to the CM that charged the CL at right side. Two skirmishers standing, and single legion father Carthage run out of steam.